Welcome to the World, Harry!
by JacksonFrost
Summary: Sirius, Remus, and Peter come to support James and cheer Lily on as baby Harry is born. For the "day of" challenge over on the forums. Reviews welcome!


**Author's Note: **For the "Day Of" challenge, here is what I imagine Harry's birth to be like. I realize the ending is a bit cheesy, but I couldn't end it properly. Please review :)

**Disclaimer:** Emphasis on _fan_ in fan fiction. I own nothing.

* * *

**Welcome to the World, Harry!**

Sirius Black, Remus Lupin, and Peter Pettigrew appeared in the front yard of the tiny house in Godric's Hollow one after the other. After Peter appeared, adjusting his glasses, Sirius nodded at the other two.

"Right, then," he said firmly. "Shall we go in?"

Remus rolled his eyes. "We'll knock first."

"That's what I meant, of course," muttered Sirius, but he stepped aside as Remus strode up to the front door and gingerly knocked.

"A little louder than that!" cried Sirius, annoyed.

"Well, I don't want to disturb Lily," Remus hissed.

The door flung open. Remus and Sirius stepped back and Peter all but fell backwards. It was James. His face split into a grin a second after seeing them, and he hugged them one-by-one.

"Is the baby here yet?" Sirius asked, slapping James on the back.

James' face fell. "Not yet. Lily's in a ton of pain, I better get back to her. Come on."

Sirius, Remus, and Peter followed him; despite the nervous glances they threw at each other and Peter muttering something about "not wanting to bother her."

James led them into the master bedroom where Lily lay on the bed, her red hair fanned out on the pillow and her face chalky white.

"Lil, look who's here to see you," James said with a forced enthusiasm. He had worry etched on every line of his face as he sat down next to his wife.

Lily smiled at the three visitors. "Hi guys. Here to welcome the newest Marauder?"

Sirius laughed. "I hope he didn't inherit his mother's distaste for breaking the rules."

"Or she," Lily reminded, amid the others' laugh. "We didn't find out the sex of the-" She broke off, and grabbed James' hand, biting her lip in evident pain.

"Lily?" Peter asked cluelessly, and Remus hit him.

"Does she need anything, James?" he asked quietly.

James, massaging his wife's shoulders, shook his head. "It'll pass in a few seconds. Wormtail, don't wet yourself, it's just a contraction. She's been having them for hours, ever since her water broke this morning."

Sirius winced in sympathy for Lily. "Ow."

As the contraction passed, Lily sat back up, gasping for breath. "James," she said urgently, ignoring the others. "I think it's time, they're getting closer and closer and stronger."

"Well, what do you want to do?" James asked helplessly.

"I want to go to a hospital!" Lily cried.

Sirius, James, and Peter looked at her blankly but Remus nodded in understanding. "Don't look so daft, Prongs, that's a St. Mungo's for Muggles. They have doctors who can deliver the baby, but Lily, I don't think we can get you there."

Lily cried out as another contraction hit her. James looked wildly at Remus. "Moony, we're getting her this hos-hospital right now!" To Lily, he said in a soothing voice, "Don't worry dear, I'll take you by Side-Along Apparation."

Lily seemed incapable of answering at the moment, so Remus spoke for her. "Don't be an idiot. The Muggles will notice if you two just _appear_ outside their hospital doors!"

"I don't bloody care about what the Muggles notice!" James roared.

Remus cut over him. "And _furthermore_, Lily's in no condition to Apparate, by Side-Along or not. It'll most likely seriously hurt the baby, if not her as well."

Lily's eyes welled up with tears. "Well, what can we do? I can't have the baby here, James doesn't know what he's doing!"

Remus glanced at James. "I'll go and get a Healer from St. Mungo's. I'll be right back, Lily. Hold on until then."

He disappeared with a large crack, and Lily started crying with the pain of another contraction.

"They ought to make this thing _easier_ for witches!" she said furiously, as James stroked her hair. "If they can't wish the baby out of the womb, a draft or something to kill all pain…"

"I think they have a draft," Sirius said unhelpfully. "I remember my cousin Bellatrix- nasty, slimy git, she was- talking about how if she ever had kids, she'd be knocked out with the Labor Draft. Of course, she never had kids, her husband probably never wanted to touch her, and really, who can blame…." He trailed off at the furious look James was giving him.

"I should have taken you to St. Mungo's, Lil," James murmured. "I'm sorry."

Lily shook her head. "Don't be silly, I was the one who wanted to wait at home. Besides, I probably couldn't have Apparated anyway, even then."

James didn't look reassured, but Lily was spared more apologies by the banging on the door that was heard.

"I'll go get it," Peter said quickly, escaping from the room and Lily's pain before anyone could protest.

A second later, Remus and a stout woman with frizzy blonde hair entered the room. "I brought the Healer," Remus said proudly.

The woman, wearing a St. Mungo's uniform and a name tag saying "Marge," immediately took control of the situation. "I need warm water and rags," she snapped at James, who immediately ran out of the room to follow her orders.

"Wormtail is lurking in the living room," Remus muttered to Sirius. "Too afraid to come back here."

Sirius snorted as Marge whispered to Lily, who steadied herself and nodded. "I'm ready," Sirius and Remus heard her whisper.

Marge smiled with satisfaction. "James!" she bellowed. "Get in here, Lily's about to start pushing!"

James ran into the room, carrying a tin of water and some rags, and Remus quickly grabbed Sirius by the collar and dragged him out.

"What?" Sirius demanded once they were in the living room.

"I don't think you're going to want to be in there when Lily starts _pushing_," he said wryly.

"Pushing what?" Peter asked, but Sirius and Remus both ignored him.

"Why?" Sirius asked. "I can take hearing pain, unlike you wimps. I'm going to go in there and support my best friend, and when he asks why you two prats weren't in there, I'll just tell him-" He paused as Lily's scream racketed around the small house.

"You were saying?" Remus smirked.

Sirius turned red and hastily muttered something about not wanting to intrude.

There were a few more dreadful screams, followed by loud, constant encouragements by James- "Come on babe, you're doing great, good job!"

They finally heard Lily testily snap, "Oh, shut up, James," as Marge loudly instructed Lily to give her "one big push!"

Lily screamed and screamed and Remus, Sirius, and Peter looked at each other in horror.

"What is she pushing?" Peter asked again, the blood draining from his face.

"Don't be a git, Wormtail," Sirius began rudely. "She's pushing the baby out."

"Well, I'm never having kids," Peter said seriously.

Remus rolled his eyes and laughed.

"You have women parts, Wormtail? Something you forgot to tell us?" Sirius mocked, laughing along with Remus.

Peter turned scarlet. "I meant, my future wife, I won't want her to go through that…."

"Nice save," Sirius taunted. "But we all knew what you meant, Wormtail, no need to be ashamed of your women parts."

"I do not have women parts!" Peter protested hotly, as James exploded into the living room.

He paused when he heard Peter. "Well, _that's_ a relief."

Remus abruptly stood up. "James, is the baby-?"

James laughed deliriously. "Yes! A boy! We're naming him Harry James." Tears of pride welled up in James' eyes, and his friends pretended not to notice- for once.

"Well, congratulations!" Sirius roared, echoed by Remus and Peter.

James looked at Sirius. "Mate, we want you to be Harry's godfather."

Now Sirius was the one with tears in his eyes, and everyone was pretending not to notice again. "Really?"

James shrugged. "Are you up for the job?"

Sirius laughed and nodded. "Can I see my godson?"

James laughed again with delight. "Sure, let's go see my son! Moony, Wormtail, you come too."

They all trudged into the master bedroom, where a beaming Lily was holding a small bundle in her arms. "Harry," she cooed. "Meet your uncles!"

Sirius stepped up to the bed and peered down at the tiny baby. "Hey Harry, I'm your godfather."

"Uncle Sirius," Lily laughed, stroking the baby's tuft of black hair with her thumb.

Remus was next, staring in awe at the infant. "He's so tiny."

"This is your Uncle Remus," James said fondly to Harry.

"And where's Uncle Peter?" Lily asked, smiling down at the listening baby.

Peter was staring at the baby with a strange expression on his face. "Uh, I have to go," he said in a rush, and Apparated.

Remus and Sirius frowned at each other. "Wonder what that's about?" Remus muttered, half to himself.

James shrugged, his eyes on his wife and child. "Ah, well. Good thing we didn't make Wormtail the godfather then."

"Remus, you'll have to be the godfather of Harry's little brother or sister," Lily said, smiling up at him and James nodded fervently in agreement.

His eyes widened. "Well, sure. Whenever that happens, I'd be happy to."

Sirius snorted. "You want to have _more_ babies? After all that, Lily?"

Lily blushed, keeping her eyes on Harry. "Well, look at Harry! It's worth it! And besides, I carried on a bit."

"No you didn't," James said firmly. "Perfectly natural."

Harry started to fuss, and Lily handed him to James, who gently placed him in the crib.

Remus punched Sirius. "What?" Sirius asked, bewildered.

Remus rolled his eyes. "We better head out, leave you three alone."

Sirius started to protest but Remus punched him again. "Right," Sirius said sullenly. "Right, we'll leave. But I plan to be back tomorrow with a present for my godson."

James laughed. "Alright, Padfoot. Thanks Moony, for all your help."

Lily nodded. "I don't know what would have happened if it wasn't for you."

Remus blushed slightly. "Oh, it was nothing. Congratulations, both of you, he's a keeper."

"A Seeker, more likely," James laughed. "But thanks. I think this kid is going to do something great."

"He's just a _baby_, James," Lily protested, but James shook his head.

"Nah, look at him. He could save the Wizarding World, or something."

Remus, Sirius, and Lily laughed, but none of them disagreed. Harry James Potter squirmed in his crib, and Sirius thought if you squinted _really hard_ you could see him as a hero. Well, it was _his_ godson after all, of _course _he was something else.

"Bye Harry," Sirius said, gently patting the baby on the head. "You just got born into the greatest family- godfathers and uncles included, of course- ever, so count your blessings, kid."

Remus laughed. "This kid is going to grow up spoiled rotten, but really, who can blame us?"

Lily and James snorted, but in affirmation, and James lovingly pushed Sirius and Remus out the door. He turned back to his wife with a grin.

"Well, Lily. You did it. We have the most amazing son ever," he said as he climbed into bed next to his wife.

Lily smiled at him. "Harry James Potter. The baby that's going to grow up to save the world, apparently. I love him already."

James laughed. "This kid is so special, he doesn't even have to grow up to save the world."

Lily rolled her eyes, and gently shoved James. The two lay on the bed, watching their son sleep peacefully in his crib.

And as Lily whispered to James, "All is well."


End file.
